Master Chu Yu Cheng

Master Chu Yu Cheng has over 30 years of experience teaching Martial Arts. Master Chu has been the senior coach of Kung Fu at Schools in Suzhou, Anhui Province and in Jinshan, Shanghai. He has also become a researcher of Wudang Kung Fu and expert of the traditional Yang Style Taiji Association; a Vice Director of the Li Luo Neng Xingyi Association in Hebei Province and an expert for the Kung Fu Alliance of Hong Kong.

Master Chu teaches both the theory and practice of traditional kung fu he teaches students combat techniques as well as health and longevity exercises and their philosophy.

Master Chu realizes that not everyone has the commitment to be taught as a long term student. He is therefore willing to teach forms and movement to short term students so they too can benefit from this traditional art and develop a lasting love for kung fu.

Master Chu Yu Cheng is the president of Gui Ting internal martial arts association. His grandfather, Chu Gui Ting was one of the most notable masters in his time. His knowledge and skills have been past to him totally from his grandfather and cover both combat as well as health and longevity. Master Chu has a wealth of experience teaching and lecturing on Liang Style Baguazhang, Yang Style Taichi and also Hebei Style Xingyi Quan. As a result Master Chu coaches and advises a number of kung fu schools and associations throughout China.

Master Chu Yu Cheng's lineage comes directly from his grandfather, Grandmaster Chu Gui Ting. In 1912, Chu Gui Ting began studying Xingyi Quan (Shape and Mind Boxing) and Baguazhang (Eight Trigram Boxing) as an official disciple under Master Li Cun Yi. In 1921, Chu Gui Ting studied Yang Shi Tai chi Chuan (Yang Style Grand Ultimate Fist) in Hangzhou from Yang Cheng Fu - a direct descendent of the style's progenitor. In doing so he became one of the "Five Tiger Generals". Between 1916 and 1940, Chu Gui Ting was heavily involved in martial arts in both Jiangsu and Shanghai. During this time he worked with the East China Five Province General's Bodyguards, the Central Chinese Boxing Association, the Zhejiang Province Chinese Boxing Association, the Central Police Officers Association, the Presidential Palace Bodyguards, the National Government's Military Department and the Jiangsu Public Security Headquarters. In 1956, Chu Gui Ting, Gu Liuxin and Fu Zhongwen were invited to Beijing to formulate the famous Simplified 24 And 28 Step Yang Shi Tai Chi Quan (Yang Style Grand Ultimate Fist) Forms that are still practiced throughout China to this very day.

In addition to the styles below Master Chu also teaches Cheng Style Baguazhang on request.

Hebei style Xingyi Quan
李洛能->刘奇兰->李存义->褚桂亭->褚玉诚
Li LuoNeng ->Liu QiLan -> Li CunYi -> Chu GuiTing -> Chu YuCheng

Yang style Tai Chi Chuan 杨璐禅->杨健侯->杨澄甫->褚桂亭->褚玉诚
Yang LuChan -> Yang JianHou -> Yang ChengFu -> Chu GuiTing -> Chu YuCheng

Liang style Baguazhang
董海川->梁振甫->褚桂亭->褚玉诚
Dong HaiChuan -> Liang ZhenFu -> Chu GuiTing -> Chu YuCheng

Training with Master Chu Yu Cheng will depend on your choosen style(s) and also the length of your training. The following is Master Chu's training curriculum for each of the styles he teaches.

Hebei Xingyi Quan 

Hebei Xingyi Quan features aggressive shocking attacks and direct footwork. The linear nature of xingyi quan hints at both the military origins and the influence of spear technique alluded to in its mythology. Despite its hard, angular appearance, cultivating "soft" internal strength or qi is essential to achieving power in Xingyi quan.

The goal of the xingyi quan exponent is to reach the opponent quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst — the analogy with spear fighting is useful here. This is achieved by coordinating one's body as a single unit and the intense focusing of one's qi. The styles that Master Chu teaches is Hebei style Xingyi quan. This has a twelve animal system with five elements. This Xingyi style’s unique characteristics can be seen in its five elements’ larger and more extended postures, along with its strict and precise economical movements.

Its powerful palm and fist strikes, combined with its straight-line footwork are also part of its exclusive individuality.

Liang Baguazhang

Baguazhang contains an extremely wide variety of techniques, including various strikes (with palm, fist, elbow, fingers etc), low kicks, joint locking techniques, throws, and distinctively evasive circular footwork. The Baguazhang practitioner is known for his ability to "flow" in and out of the way of objects. This is how the theory of being able to fight multiple attackers becomes applicable.

Master Chu teaches Liang style Baguazhang which is similar to Yin and Cheng style Bagua. Where it is different is in its more circular forms and its use of the "eight old palms". In additon to Liang Style Baguazhang Master Chu also teaches Cheng Style Baguazhang. 

Yang Style Taichi Chuan (TaiJi)

Tai chi chuan martially is the study of appropriate change in response to outside forces; the study of yielding and "sticking" to an incoming attack rather than attempting to meet it with opposing force. The health benefits of Tai chi chuan were largely explained through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine, which is based on a view of the body and healing mechanisms not always studied or supported by modern science.